HERBERT Charles Thomas

Resident Blockley, Worcestershire, enlisted Oxford.

Charles served in the army, initially in a support (Labour Regiment) role and later in the Front Line, where he lost his life in action.

Charles was an only child, born in Blockley in 1895.  His father George was an ironmonger and furniture dealer.  Charles was at home until at least 1911, when he was working as an assistant to his father.  By 1915 he had moved to an address in Oxford, working as an ironmonger, and it was here that he enlisted in the armed forces.

Some of Charles’ personal military documentation has survived, enough to allow his service career to be traced.  He may not have been the ideal soldier.  His call to attestation seems rather late, at the end of 1915 – he was recruited, by the delightfully named Sergeant Muddle.  He was mobilised in late January 1916, apparently to the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry Depot, who approved his appointment to the Wiltshire Regiment.  Three days later he was “attached” to the 3rd Battalion of the Hampshire Regiment, but was back with Wiltshires the following day.  He then spent nearly four months with the Wiltshire Regiment, presumably undergoing basic training, and was then transferred to the 10th Battalion of the Berkshire Regiment.  This was a labour battalion, peopled by soldiers who, for whatever reason – perhaps age, health – were not up to the standard required for fighting duties.

Charles was posted to France with his battalion in July 1916.  In 1917, the labour battalions of line regiments were combined to form the new Labour Corps, and in May 1917 Charles’s battalion became 159 and 160 Battalions of the new Corps, Charles in the former.  Labour Corps duties, although in a support role, were not confined to “backroom” duties; often they were near the front line, such as building roads and railways for the movement of troops and supplies.  Charles could thus have seen action and come under fire.

In October 1917 Charles was posted, in France, to a front-line unit, the 2/6th Battalion, and later to the 2/4th Battalion, of the Duke of Wellington (West Riding) Regiment.  Clearly the criteria for his apparent rejection earlier for a fighting role had changed, perhaps as a backwash from the Review of Exceptions Act of that year.  He had two-weeks leave in February 1918, and in June of that year he spent possibly six weeks in hospital for unknown reasons.  At the end of August 1918 he was killed in action.

The post-war documentation includes receipts from Charles’s father in Blockley for his son’s medals; one rather pitiful package contained just a pipe and a steel watch (broken). The certificate required by the army before the King’s Certificate could be sent confirmed that Charles was an only child and that his close relatives were just father and mother.

From the “burnt documents”
Attestation:
Attested at Oxford, 9 December 1915.  Short Service for duration of war, recruited by Sgt Muddle, recruiter.  Address 9 Circus Street, Oxon, occupation ironmonger, age 20 years 11 months, unmarried.  Approval given on 24th January 1916 at Depot, Oxfordshire and Buckingham Light Infantry, Oxford, for him to be appointed to the Wiltshire Regiment.

Medical on enlistment:
2336 Royal Berkshire Regt, age 21, height 5 feet 1¼ inches, chest 33-35in.  Next-of-kin father George Albert Herbert, Fountain Cottage, Blockley.

Service career:
The following is taken from a number of overlapping records dealing with postings and movements.  Some of the forms have followed Charles, and there are various units and service numbers entered and deleted.  The units include Wiltshire Regt, Oxford and Bucks Lt Infantry, 10th Battalion Royal Berkshire Regt, Labour Corps and West Riding Regt:
9/12/1915 Attested
24/1/1916 Enlisted/mobilised, posted to Wiltshire Regt Depot, 27/1/1916 attached to 3rd Battalion Hampshire Regt, 28/1/1916 posted to Wiltshire Regt
13/5/1916 Transferred to 10th Battalion Royal Berkshire Regt
19/6/1916 Embarked Southampton,
20/6/1916 Disembarked Havre
9/5/1917 Transferred to Labour Corps (see footnote), 10/5/1917 posted to 159 Company, 10/10/1917 transferred to 2/6 Battalion West Riding Regt, 28/1/1918 posted to 2/4 Battalion West Riding Regt.
12/2/1918 granted leave to 26/2/1918
2/6/1918 In the field, to hospital
18/7/1918 To unit
30/8/1918 Killed in action
Footnote: The transfer to the Labour Corps on 13th May 1916 reflects the re-designation of his unit from 10th Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment to 159 Battalion of the newly formed Labour Corps rather than a personal transfer.  Total service from 9th December 1915 to 30th August 1918 – 2 years 266 days.

Disposal of assets
Memo of 18th December 1918 from the War Office to an unidentified recipient states that articles of personal property and any medals belonging to Charles Herbert should be sent to Mr G. A. Herbert, Fountain Cottage, Blockley, Worcestershire.

Army form dated 10th February 1919 to father G Herbert:
I am directed to forward the undermentioned articles of private property of the late 26402, Private Herbert C. T. 2/4th Battalion West Riding Regt:
Pipe, metal watch (broken)
(receipt sent by Mr Herbert on 15 February 1919)
Receipts:
2 February 1921 Father acknowledged receipt of [unreadable] in respect of the service of Private C. T. Herbert, 26402
31 March 1921 Father sent receipt for son’s Victory medal

Form (unknown date)
Father sent completed form showing Charles’s nearest relatives.  There are only Charles’s father and mother, no brothers or sisters.

From the Medal Index Card:
Charles T. Herbert, 10 Royal Berks, Private, 22977, 159 Lab Corps, Private, 95005, West Riding Regt, Private, 26402.  Awarded the Victory Medal and the British War Medal.

From Soldiers’ Effects:
Charles Thomas Herbert, 2/4 Bn West Riding Regt, 26402
died 30/8/18 France, seven shillings and 3 pence, plus 14 pounds 12s 9d War Gratuity to father George A.

Charles Herbert has no known grave, the photograph available shows his name on Vis-en-Artois Memorial.